Spirited Gourmet Pre-Sells

Rosés - 2012

2011 Rosés will be one for the books, especially in Europe.  Every wine that I’ve tasted from 2011– whites, reds and rosés from around the world – has had amazing purity and balance. These are rosés not to be missed! Most are in large quantities, but some are very limited which will be labeled as such. You’ll see some familiar faces from last year’s batch, but for the most part, there’s a lot of new blood in here!

2011 County Line Rosé, Anderson Valley, CA
- Regularly $21.99/ Pre-sell $17.99 net
- Only 5 cases available

Eric Sussman of Radio-Coteau has been bottling one of America's finest rosés for some time under his County Line label. The Pinot Noir based 2011 County Line Rosé, Anderson Valley will be the third Rosé release from this superb winemaker. Eric sources these grapes from a Champagne Clone of Pinot Noir that is estate-grown on the Elke Home Ranch in Anderson Valley. The grapes were hand-picked at lower sugars and higher acidity and then whole cluster pressed. This wine was barrel-fermented in older pinot noir barrels.

Eric Sussman writes: "Our 2011 County Line Anderson Valley Rosé from Mary Elke's Home Ranch is crafted in a classic elegant style, with traditional food-friendly versatility. Offering aromas of rose petal, ruby grapefruit, and wet stone, this single vineyard Rosé pairs well with an array of fare, from spicy Thai cuisine to the delicate Kumamoto oyster. Maintaining clean focus with vibrant acidity and fresh flavors, this youthful wine is light-on-its-feet yet able to counterbalance culinary imagination with its refined structure."

2011 Domaine Collotte  Marsannay Rosé, Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France
- Regularly $21.99 / Pre-sell $17.99 net
- 10 cases available

It was at the 2005 Grand Jours de Bourgogne.  Importer Peter Weygandt was looking for excellent Burgundies at equally excellent value.  Marsannay came to mind as a good candidate, but aside from a couple of well-known producers, he was disappointed in the quality of many.  That is until he came upon Philippe Collotte; A tall, quiet man, looking a bit like Gary Cooper, but with a lot of passion to make superb wines just waiting to be unleashed. As soon as the Pinot grapes arrive at the winery, they are pressed, followed by "débourbage", fermentation and "élevage" in stainless steel (élevage reserved for wines that will be drunk young) in order to keep all the fruit of this wine and preserve its freshness and youth.

This Marsannay Rosé (100% Pinot Noir) is soft and fruity, and backed with good strength and liveliness.  The aroma evokes peach and a recently crushed harvest.  It’s rare you find Burgundy rosé on the U.S. market, let alone for this stellar price! Nick

2011 Domaine de Pellehaut Harmonie de Gascogne, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne, France
- Regularly $9.99 / Pre-sell $7.99 net
- 15 cases available

With 180 hectares (445 acres) planted, the Béraut family has some of the largest vineyard holdings in the Côtes de Gascogne region of Southwestern France. Located at 180 meters altitude overlooking the quaint village of Montréal-du-Gers, the vines are planted on several different types of soil, including mixtures of clay and limestone along with sand interspersed with small limestone pieces.

Just a mile and a half away is the Gallo-Roman villa Séviac, the third most visited site in the Gers département. Discovered by a farmer plowing his fields several decades ago, the intricate mosaics have been preserved to their original splendor of the fifth century AD. Some feature vines, and it is entirely probable that vines were planted on the slopes of Pellehaut 1,500 years ago!

The Harmonie de Gascogne Rosé – predominantly Merlot with small amounts of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah - is made with the oldest vines on the property with low yields that give excellent concentration.  This delightful wine is bright, fruity and clean, great by the glass or with a large variety of foods.

2011 Sattler Zweigelt Rosé, Burgenland, Austria
- Regularly $15.99 / Pre-sell $12.99
- 10 cases available

Erich Sattler is emblematic of the new generation of Austrian vintners, a wine-school grad, 4th generation in the family, taking over as recently as 1999.   "We make wine as my grandfather did," he says, "only with better machines."  He's looking for red wines with "ripe, soft tannin" and the following wine, although a rosé, exemplifies this.

Importer Terry Theise has this to say about Sattler:  “Sattler is one of the few young growers I know who isn’t out to get your attention but instead seeks merely to bring you pleasure.  I love these kinds of wines, as you know.  You take the first sip and think “Well sure, O.K., it’s clean  and pleasant and all, but then the glass is suddenly empty and you barely know why.  I could tell you why:  it’s because the wine tastes good and invites you to keep sipping.”

I tasted this wine in N.Y. on January 17^th of this year, and when I tell you that the 2011 runs circles around the 2010, I’m not kidding.  – Nick

Manoir de la Tete NV “Tete a Clacque”, Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France
- Regularly $19.99 / Pre-sell $15.99
- 15 cases available

This wine is imported by Bourgeois Family Selections, a company that specializes in bringing small, family-owned wineries from France.  All of these wineries are also certified or practicing organic and biodynamic viticulture.

Built in 1649 at the foot of the majestic Puy Notre Dame hill and aquired in 1995 by Guillaume Reynouard, this 32 acre vineyard boasts the best clayish limestone of the Saumur terroirs. In 1998, Guillaume decided to “stop polluting the ground” as he so eloquently puts it and decided that the only way to go forward was organic. At first, the change was a difficult process as the parcels that had not been worked for about 30 years made it hard for farming instruments to work them and it was almost as if the vines were surprised and shocked to have their superficial roots snapped off. After all, no one had bothered them before…

“Tete a Claque” which literary means “Head to Slap” is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Chenin Blanc, 10% Chardonnay, and 5% each of Grolleau and Pineau d’Aunis from 25 year old vines growing on chalky and clay soil. A fun sparkling rose made from biodynamically farmed grapes following the ancestral method. This is the perfect summer wine, very fruity, slightly sweet with 54 gr of residual sugar per liter, and a dosage at 5 gr. It will refresh and invigorate you during very hot summer days.

2011 Elicio Rosé (organic), Vin de Pays de Mediterranée, France 
- Regularly $11.99 / Pre-sell $9.99
- 10 cases available

This wine is imported by Bourgeois Family Selections, a company that specializes in bringing small, family-owned wineries from France.  All of these wineries are also certified or practicing organic and biodynamic viticulture.

The project Elicio is the newest and most value-driven line from Raphael under the structure of Caravinserail. The name comes from a little play on the word Caravanserail, a resting place for a Caravan but also a meeting place, a place to exchange experiences, cultures…. to mix. Here it is expressed with wines. Caravinserail indeed produces with the partnership of talented winemakers, wines of pleasure from the Southern Rhone valley, primarily the Ventoux region.

 Raphaël Trouiller uses his experience as a "vigneron" to produce Elicio in the south of the Rhône Valley. Made from 80% Grenache and 20% Cinsault; A bright pink color and a nose packed with fresh red fruit notes - currant and raspberry - for this wine, whose palate confirms the aromas revealed by the nose. Very fruit forward, this extreme value wine can be enjoyed with your everyday meals or by itself. Serve cold (8° C / 46° F).

2011 Carpineto Toscana Rosato, Tuscany, Italy  
- Regularly $14.99 / Pre-sell $11.99
- 10 cases available

This is produced from a combination of Sangiovese (80%) and Canaiolo (20%) grapes. They have been the principal components of Chianti for centuries. In order to create the wine’s beautiful salmon color, skin contact is kept to minimum.  A deliciously refreshing wine that is best served chilled, not cold, to allow the fruit flavors to flow over the palate. It’s elegant and fruity with an enticing floral aroma. It’s the prefect accompaniment to grilled seafood, poultry, and veal dishes.

This is my absolute favorite Sangiovese-based rosé from any producer. Carpineto rocks it!  - Nick

2011 Villa des Anges “Old Vines” Rosé, Languedoc, France
- Regularly $9.99 / Pre-sell $7.99
- 10 cases available

"Villa des Anges" is crafted by winemaker Jeff Carrel at the Espitalet des Anges domaine in Capestang. Situated on the ruins of an ancient Roman villa, the Domaine is owned by Jaqueline Menard de Ginestous, who married-into and is herself from a prominent Languedocienne wine-growing family.  A light-bodied wine, intensely crisp and vividly fresh, it offers complex aromas of strawberries and red currants, with a hint of quince.  It is perfect as a warm weather aperitif and an accompaniment to salads, seafoods, and poultry.

Made from 100% Cinsault and sourced from 35-40 year old vines in ancient alluvial terroirs northwest of Béziers.